This invention relates to a shoe, particularly an athletic shoe, having the sole and heel attached to the upper by means of a zipper connection running completely around the shoe.
It is well known that modern shoes of the athletic type are made in many designs and shapes, with the principal design differences found in the sole. There are tennis shoes, golf shoes, running shoes, jogging shoes, walking shoes, basketball shoes, soccer shoes, football shoes, among many other types. Each type has a different sole design which is supposed to provide the maximum efficiency for the game and the maximum comfort for the wearer. The uppers of these shoes in many instances are almost exactly the same. It is not surprising that the soles and heels of these shoes wear out much sooner than do the uppers. We do not make the most of using the uppers of shoes, since many are not fully used when the shoe is discarded because the sole is worn. While a new sole and heel can be attached to a leather upper by stitching or the like, such attachment does not apply to rubber soles, and the prior art has not found an acceptable method of attaching a new sole and heel to a light weight athletic shoe.
It is an object of this invention to provide a shoe with a circumferential zipper that is capable of attaching or detaching the sole and heel to or from the upper. It is another object of the invention to provide the opportunity of joining one upper to any of several sole-and-heel portions. Still other objects will become apparent from the more detailed description which follows.